This story is from January 24, 2022

People stay indoors during lockdown in Kerala

The first curfew of the third Covid wave on Sunday was complete and the state witnessed a total lockdown with the people keeping indoors.
People stay indoors during lockdown in Kerala
The buzzing SM Street in Kozhikode was bereft of crowds following the imposition of lockdown on Sunday
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KOCHI/KOZHIKODE: The first curfew of the third Covid wave on Sunday was complete and the state witnessed a total lockdown with the people keeping indoors.
Only shops selling essential commodities were allowed to open and hence the people came out only in very limited numbers. Only a skeletal service of KSRTC buses were operated on Sunday.
The state police had launched an extensive check on all the major roads but there were only very few people who ventured out.
In the state capital, it was a total lockdown-like situation as vehicles and people kept away from the roads. Most of the major shops were also shut.
"As the police had warned against unnecessary travel, no one had come out today. Only those who were working came out with their vehicles," said DK Prithviraj, assistant commissioner of police, Thiruvananthapuram.
In Ernakulam, most roads were deserted as public transport vehicles and private vehicles kept off the road. Only a few vehicles were found plying on the road. Groceries, bakeries, hotels and restaurants opened as usual but with very less customer footfall. Hotels and restaurants allowed only parcel service. However, many meat shops catered to a large number of customers in the morning. The presence of people was less in the morning but it increased by evening.

On Sunday, police had registered only 452 cases for Covid protocol violations in the state. About 229 arrests were recorded and 115 vehicles were seized for various violations. Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam reported most of the violations on the day. Police registered 103 cases for violation of Covid restrictions in Ernakulam and arrested 10 people. Besides special patrolling teams, police personnel were deployed in the rural limits.
In Kozhikode, police have registered cases against 61 persons for venturing out in vehicles for non-essential travel. Also, three shops were asked to close down for violating Covid protocols.
The state government has imposed the same lockdown-like restrictions on next Sunday too in the wake of increasing Covid cases. On January 30 also, shops selling essential commodities like groceries, medicines, milk, meat and fruits will be allowed to open from 7am to 9pm. However dining-in will not be allowed in hotels, bakeries and restaurants; only parcel services will be allowed. Bars, Bevco and Consumerfed outlets, theaters, and shopping malls are not allowed to open.
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